68364: Severn and Somme

A copy of the second edition (March 1919) of Ivor Gurney's collection 'Severn and Somme', first published in November 1917 by Sidgwick and Jackson, owned by Gurney and annotated and corrected by him some time after 1921, probably in April 1925. Includes an inscription by Gurney, numerous alterations in the poet's hand, in black and blue ink, and descriptions of where Gurney remembers the poems to have been written. |

File description(s):

These pages show Gurney's inscription and a listing of the places most of the poems were written, including France and Belgium, 1916 and 1917.
The dedication is to Margaret Hunt.
Gurney notes that 'To Certain Comrades' with a mark in ink, was written at Fauquissart.
For 'The Fire Kindled', with numerous changes in pen in the poet's hand, the creation place is Merville.
Gurney notes that 'The Fire Kindled', with numerous changes in ink made in the poets hand, was written at Merville and 'To the Poet Before Battle' was written at Chelmsford.
Gurney notes that 'Maisemore' was written East of Laventie.
Gurney notes that 'Afterwards', and 'Carol', with numerous corrections in ink and lines crossed out, were both written at Chelmsford.
With multiple corrections and lines crossed out Gurney notes that 'Carol' was written at Chelmsford and 'Strange Service' was written at 'Tilleloy' (France) and was written 'on the same day as 'By the Bierside''.
Gurney notes that 'Strange Service' was written at 'Tilleloy' (France) and was written 'on the same day as 'By the Bierside'', and 'Serenity' was written in the 'Trenches'.
'The Signaller's Vision' was written in the 'Trenches E. of Laventie and 'The Mother' was written East of Laventie.
Gurney notes that 'To England - A Note' was written at Laventie, and 'Bach and the Sentry', was written at Laventie and Aubers, also inscribed 'E of Laventie'.
Gurney notes that both 'Letters' and 'Strafe' were written East of Laventie.
Gurney notes that 'Acquiescence' and 'The Strong Thing' were both written East of Laventie.
Gurney notes that 'Scots' was written at Crucifix Corner [on the Somme], and 'To an Unknown Lady', with Gurney's corrections in pen, was written 'near Somme'.
Gurney notes that 'Purple and Black' was written East of Laventie.
Gurney notes that 'West Country' was written East of Laventie, and 'Firelight', a stanza of which he has crossed out and recomposed, was written 'of Varennes'.
Gurney notes that 'The Estaminet' was written at Arras.
Gurney notes that 'Song' ['Only the wanderer'] was written at Caulaincourt, and the 'Ballad of the Three Spectres' was written at the 'Somme'.
'Time and the Soldier', with various notations and an added stanza, includes Gurney's note that it contains a possible reference to 'TLS' [Times Literary Supplement?]. Both poems were written at Crucifix Corner [on the Somme].
Gurney notes that 'Influences' was written East of Laventie, and 'Afterglow', with numerous alterations in pen to lines and stanzas, was written at Varennes.
Gurney notes that 'Hail and Farewell' and 'Praise' were both written East of Laventie.
Gurney notes that 'Winter Beauty', with numerous alterations in pen and an added stanza, was written at Varennes.
Gurney notes that 'Song of Pain and Beauty' was written at Gommecourt and Chaulnes, and 'Spring. Rouen, May 1917', with numerous alterations and stanzas crossed out in pen, was written at Rouen.
Gurney notes that 'Spring. Rouen, May 1917', with numerous alterations and stanzas crossed out in pen, was written at Rouen.
Gurney notes that 'Spring. Rouen, May 1917', with numerous alterations and stanzas crossed out in pen, was written at Rouen, and 'June-To-Come' was written at Arras.
Gurney notes that 'June-To-Come' and 'Hark, Hark, The Lark' were both written at Arras.
Gurney notes that 'Song at Morning', was written 'looking at it', and that both 'Song at Morning' and 'Trees' were both written at Arras.
These pages show two poems, both entitled 'Requiem'. The first version has been crossed out entirely and rewritten by Gurney in blue ink. The second version opening with 'Nor grief nor tears...' he notes was written East of Laventie.
These pages show a poem (the third in the volume) entitled 'Requiem', which has been crossed out entirely and rewritten by Gurney in blue ink ['Lie still...'], written at Arras. With numerous alterations, and also written at Arras, the other poem, 'To England', is part of a sonnet sequence dedicated to the English poet Rupert Brooke.
Gurney notes that 'Pain' was written at Crucifix Corner [on the Somme] and 'Servitude' was written at Arras. These poems are part of a sonnet sequence dedicated to the English poet Rupert Brooke.
Gurney notes that both 'Home-sickness', with numerous alterations in pen in Gurney's hand, and 'England the Mother' were written at Arras. These poems are part of a sonnet sequence dedicated to the English poet Rupert Brooke.
This page shows a selection of other volumes of poetry published by Sidgwick and Jackson.